Trailer hitch



May 9, 1939- D. H. sToREY 2,157,681

TRAILER HITCH Filed Nov. 25, 1938 ttm-HEHS Patented May 9,1939

UNITED 'STATES- PATENT ori-ica Daniel Estany, Wausau. Wil. l Application November 25, 1938, Serial No. 242.207

z claims? (ci. aso- $3.15)

This invention appertains to bail hitches for connecting a trailer to a pulling vehicle, such as an automobile.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide novel means for detachably mounting,

the ball in the socket. whereby accidental displacement thereof is reduced to a minimum, and whereby direct pull will be had on a solid part of the socket.

Another -salient object of `my invention is to provide means for constructing the socket whereby the ball can be quickly and easily connected therewith or removed therefrom, without the employance of tools.

1B A further important object of my invention is the provision of a socket for receiving the ball, having a slide plate for holding the ball in the socket,'with novel means for` manually actuating 'the plate, the plate being normally held against movement.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a ball and socket hitch of the above character, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture,

and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my hitch, parts of the view being shown broken away and` in section to illustrate structural details.

Figure 2 is 'a longitudinal sectional view through the hitch, the view being taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a transverse, sectional view through the hitch, the view being taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the means for actuating the slide plate.

4a Figure 4 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the bottom face of the slide plate.

'Figure 5 is a detail'. top, plan view of the slide 50 plate.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, top, plan view of the hitch, showing the handle for actuating the slide plate.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein u similar reference characters designate corre- -sponding parts throughout the several views, the

letter H generally indicates my novel hitch, and the same includesl an attaching shank I0, which is adapted to be rigidly secured to the tongue or similar part of a trailer (not shown).

The forward endlof the shank III has formed thereon a head II, and this head has formed therein a semispherical socket I2 for the reception of the ball I3. 'I'he head II in rear of the socket has formed therein a chamber or com- 10 partment Il forslidably receiving the slide plate I5. 'Ihe compartment or chamber Il opens into the socket I2, and it is to be noted that the forward end of the slide plate is curved, as at I6', to conform to the curvature of the socket I2, and l5 so' as to snugly engage the ball I3. When the slide plate is in its projected position, as shown in full lines in Figure 1, the socket is slightly greater than a semisphere. Thus, the ball is firmly held in the socket against accidental dis- 20 placement, but, obviously, the socket is free to turn on the ball.

The ball I3 can be of any preferred construction, and is provided with a flange I8 for engaging the top of a drawbar I1, shown in dotted lines 2'5 in Figure 1. The ballXalso carries a depending bolt shank I8, which is extendedthrough the drawbar, and the bolt can be held against displacement by the use of suitable nuts I9.

Particular stress is laid on the construction of 30 the slide plate I5, as the same forms an important part of my invention. Thus, the slide plate has formed in its upper surface a cavity 20, and snugly mounted within the cavity is a cam or eccentric disc 2l. Communicating with the cav- 35 ity 20 is a longitudinally extending slot 22.

An operating rod 23 is slidably and rotatably mounted in the head II of the hitch, and, hence, the head is provided with a vertically disposed bore 24 for receiving the rod, and this bore ex- 40 tends through the chamber Il and opens out through the upper and lower faces of the hitch. The upper end of the rod 23 is provided with any preferred type of manipulating handle 25, and in the present instance the same has been shown to be in the form of a finger-engaging ring. Intermediate its ends, the operating rod 23 is provided with a polygonal portion 26, and the cam oreccentric disc 2| is mounted upon this portion of the rod, so that upon turning movement of the rod the cam or eccentric will be rotated therewith. 'I'he polygonal portion 25 of the rod is formed relatively long, and when -the rod is in its lowered position, as shown in full lines in Figures 2 and 3, the squared por- 55 non also extends in the not n of the .une pme Il. As the side walls of the slot 22 engage'opposite faces of the rod, accidental turning movement lof the rod is prevented when the rodis iny its lowered position. v

In order to maintain the rod in its lowered position against accidental movement, an expension spring 21 is coiled around the lower end of the rod 23, and one end of the spring bears against the lower face of the hitch, and the other end of the hitch against a washer 23 carried by the rod. If preferred, the head of the hitch can have cast thereon a sleeve 23 for surrounding the spring to form a protecting housing therefor. In operation of my hitch, when it is de to disconnect the socket portion from the ball I3, the rod 23 is pulled upward by the ring 23 against the tension of the spring 21, and the squared portion of the rod will ride out of the slot 22. which will permit the turning of the rod. Upon the turning of the'rod, the cam or eccentric 2i will engage the walls of the cavity 20 and push back lthe slide plate Il away from under the ball i3. Hence. the socket can be lifted off the ball. In order to limit the turning movement of the rod, the head il of the hitch is provided with a stop 30, which isarranged in the path of a iinger 3l, which is formed on the rod and extends radially therefrom. When the rod is in its lowered position the .ilnger 3i rides in a slot 32 formed at. the head of the hitch.

Io re-connect the ball i3 with the socket, it is merely necessary to replace the .bali within the socket and then turn the rod 23 in a counter-clockwise direction until the finger 3i reaches the slot 32. 'I'he cam 2l will project the slide plate II under the ball I3, and.` when the nf ger 3l reaches the slot 32, the spring 21 will pull down on the rod, and all o f the parts will be ilrmly held against accidental movement.

It is to be noted that the forward face of the polygonal portion 26 of the rod`23 is inclined downwardly, and, hence, as the rod is pulled down by its spring, the inclined face has a tendency to push the cam 2| and plate Il forward.

Thisassurestheproper engagement oftheplate withthe ball. n f 4 From the foregoing description it can b seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple and durable form of ball and socket hitch in which the parts can be readily connected and disconnected without danger of accidental displacement.

Changes in details may be made without de. parting from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In a trailer hitch, a shank, a head carried by the forward end of the shank provided with a socket and a chamber communicating with the socket. a slide plate mounted within the chamber and movable into and out of the socket, said slide plate having a cavity and a slot communicating with the cavity, an operating rod rotatably and slidably mounted on the head having a squared portion formed thereon intermediate'its ends normally mounted in the slot, an eccentric mounted yon the squared portion of the rod fitted in said cavity for turning movement with the rod, spring `means normally holding the rod in a lowered position, with a part of the squared portion ofthe rod in the slot, and a handle for turning and lifting the rod.

2. In a trailer hitch, a shank, a head carried by the forward end of the shank provided with a socket and a chamber communicating with the socket, a slide plate mounted .within the chamber and movable into and out of the socket, said slide plate havinga cavity and a slot communicating with the cavity, an operating rod rotatably and slidably mounted on the head having a squared portion formed thereon intermediate its ends normally mounted in the slot, an eccentric mounted on the squared portion of the rod fitted in said cavity for turning movement with the rod, spring means normally holding the rod in a lowered position, with a part of the squared portion of the rod in the slot,

a handle for turning and lifting the rod, and

means for preventing accidental rotation of the DANIEL H. S'IOREY. 

